Around 1.4 billion hectares of agricultural land in the world are affected by salinity (FAO, 2025). In many delta regions, the challenge is becoming increasingly urgent as freshwater availability declines and saltwater intrusion increases which leads to limited yields. For farmer households, however, the question is not only how much salt is present, but what they can practically do about it.
Field visit during SALTA international workshop in the Netherlands
This question was at the center of the first SALTA workshop on Practical solutions for agriculture in salinizing deltas, held in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, in June 2026. Around 75 international and Dutch participants from government, farmers’ organisations and the private sector came together to exchange experiences and discuss how existing knowledge on salinity can be translated into workable solutions at farm level.
The workshop was organized by knowledge cluster SALTA together with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, convening partner of the SUSTAIN COST Action programme. SALTA is a cluster of 60 private and public organizations in the Netherlands. The network aims to enable farmers and water managers to cope with salinity or limited freshwater availability.
As part of the Netherlands’ programme to support salinity adaptation and mitigation in Vietnam, a Vietnamese delegation also participated in the workshop. The delegation included representatives from the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association (VOAA), Can Tho Farmer Union, Agriterra Vietnam, Tra Vinh University and Can Tho University.
Vietnam delegation participating in the workshop
No single solution to salinity
One of the main conclusions of the workshop was that there is no universal solution to agricultural salinity.
The impact of salt on crops depends on the crop and variety, growth stage, soil, water quality, drainage and local climate. As a result, the same salinity level can have very different impacts across farms and regions. Effective adaptation often requires a combination of improved water management, soil management and changes in farmer practices.
Dr. Ed Lennard-Barrett, an Australian salinity expert and key-note speaker, highlighted the importance of understanding the interaction between water, salts and the rootzone of crops. Soil condition is equally important, particularly in clay soils high levels of sodium can negatively affect soil structure and thus productivity.
For farmers, this complexity makes reliable local data essential. Regular measurements of soil and water conditions can help determine which interventions are appropriate and when they should be applied.
Bridging the gap between research and the farm
A recurring theme was the need to translate existing scientific knowledge on salinity into practical solutions for farmers.
Farm coaches from SALTA, for example, collect soil and water data together with farmers and use the results to discuss possible management options. Where more specialised expertise is needed, knowledge institutes and companies within the network can provide additional advice or technical solutions.
Participants visited SALTA’s testing facility at a commercial farm in the coastal province of Friesland. At the site, crops are tested under five different salinity levels. The facility is intended to provide practical information on crop responses and irrigation and soil-management practices, while also allowing approaches such as bio-stimulants, cover crops and compost to be tested under controlled conditions.
The value of such demonstration sites is not only scientific. Seeing results under real farming conditions can help farmers assess whether an intervention is relevant to their own situation.
Farmers’ organisations are essential for scaling
Technical knowledge alone will not be enough to address salinity at scale.
Amir Islam of the Asian Farmers’ Association shared experiences from Bangladesh, where farmers face growing salinity pressure alongside weak extension services, limited access to finance and difficulties accessing markets. These factors can prevent farmers from adopting solutions even where appropriate technologies or practices are already available.
Strong farmers’ organisations and cooperatives can therefore play an important role in connecting farmers to information, services, finance and markets. They can also help ensure that solutions are developed around farmers’ actual needs rather than introduced from outside.
Both Islam and Lennard-Barrett stressed that new communication tools, including digital and AI-based applications, could help reach larger numbers of farmers. These tools can complement, but not replace, trusted local advisory networks.
From guidelines to locally adapted solutions
FAO representative Dionissya Lyra illustrated the activities of FAO on saline agriculture, including FAO’s Global Guidelines on soil and water management in salt-affected soils.
Such guidelines provide an important knowledge base that might help farmers to identify the most appropriate solutions. Workshop participants, however, also emphasized the necessity of translating such guidelines into locally applicable approaches. Since, every situation differs and depends on water and soil conditions which determines the operational perspective of farmers.
Local monitoring is therefore important. While surface water may be saline, agricultural soils could remain suitable for relatively salt-sensitive crops, depending on factors such as rainfall, drainage and irrigation. At the same time, soils can also gradually accumulate salts even where the immediate water situation appears manageable.
Understanding these differences allows farmers and advisors to move away from generic recommendations towards more targeted advice.
Business case matters as much as technology
Another important message from the workshop was that the technically best solution is not always the most suitable one for all farmers.
Investment costs, labor requirements, access to finance and markets will influence the most appropriate business model for a farmer. A successful approach combines technical feasibility with a realistic business case. This is why participants highlighted the importance of involving companies, farmer cooperatives, buyers, and financial institutions alongside researchers and government agencies.
Towards an international knowledge agenda
The workshop concluded that salinising deltas share many challenges, but that solutions must ultimately be adapted to local circumstances.
Participants called for stronger international exchange of good practices, but also approaches that did not work. Long-term monitoring of soil and water conditions, demonstrating under real farming conditions and stronger links between farmers’ organizations, researchers, government, and companies were seen as important building blocks.
One possible next step is the development of an international knowledge agenda on salinity in agriculture. Such an agenda could help identify common knowledge gaps, connect applied research across countries and ensure that future programmes respond more directly to the needs of farmers.
The workshop also marked a step towards stronger international cooperation. SALTA and the Saline Water & Food Systems Partnership will continue the exchange with partners in salinity-affected countries. The Netherlands Embassies in Vietnam, Morocco and Egypt supported the workshop, and follow-up activities are being explored with local partners to translate international knowledge exchange into practical, locally embedded action.
Working Agenda for Vietnam–the Netherlands Cooperation on Salinity
The Vietnamese delegates found the workshop useful and appreciated the opportunity to interact with stakeholders from around the world and exchange experiences on salinity resilience. They agreed that, while salinity is a common challenge across deltas, effective responses need to be tailored to local conditions and practical realities. A key takeaway was that salinity management should not be considered in isolation, but approached from a farmer-centred and integrated perspective that connects landscapes, communities, livelihoods and value chains, including market demand and potential.
As Vietnamese Salinity Ambassadors within the Netherlands–Vietnam cooperation on salinity resilience, these colleagues will serve as a bridge for connecting knowledge and experience from both countries and contribute to shaping the working agenda for Vietnam–the Netherlands cooperation on salinity in the coming months. Key areas of cooperation could include:
- Raising awareness among farmers, businesses and the wider community about the impacts and severity of salinisation in the agricultural sector;
- Researching, demonstrating and sharing suitable approaches to salinity adaptation and mitigation in the Mekong Delta;
- Facilitating knowledge exchange between Dutch and Vietnamese stakeholders and connecting international expertise with local practical experience;
- Providing input to policy discussions and dialogues on salinity resilience and freshwater management;
- Exploring a joint action plan on salinity and freshwater management to support sustainable agricultural development in the Mekong Delta.